President calls for immediate settlement of church attack

Jakarta, NU Online
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has asked for an immediately settlement of the problem relating to the house of prayers of the Huria Batak Christian Protestant (HKBP) members and the recent attack on some of them.

In a press conference here on Tuesday President Yudhoyono said correct solutions of the problems had to be found.<<>;br />
"The ministers concerned, the district head of Bekasi, religious leaders of the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) must sit and find a good way out. I wish it could be achieved," he said.

To make the problem not to develop further he called against any intervention from any parties who have an ill will.

"There must not be any intervention that would only make the situation worse. There must be none but good intentions," he said.

The President said the law must be enforced regardless of who would be affected.

"The law must be enforced moreover if it has to do with a sensitive issue including inter-religious relations. Bring anyone involved to justice," he said.

President Yudhoyono meanwhile called on the people to continue to maintain the good relations between different religious followers because Indonesia is a plural country and a rule has also been made available to regulate construction of a house of prayers.

He also called on the people to prevent violence and used wisdom to deal with it.

He said all government apparatus had to act swiftly to overcome the problem.

National Police chief General Bambang Hendarso Danuri on the occasion said the police had already arrested the suspects behind the attack of the church members on Sunday. (ant/dar)